Turbine and compressor apparatus



. Oct. 28, 1952 w. s. BOWEN 2,615,616 Q TURBINE AND ctjuvaassoa APPARATUS Fi le,d"A pri1 a, 1950 v 2 Sims-5mm 1 INVENTB-R. WILLIAM SPENCER BOWEN l 2 I BY- Ii HIS ATI'QRNEYS.

O 8, 1952 1 w. s. BOWEN TURBINE AND COMPRESSOR APPARATUS 2 sHEETs-sx-mET 2 Filed April 8, 1950 mliloq HIS A ORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 28, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TURBINE AND COMPRESSOR APPARATUS William Spencer Bowen, Westfield, N. J.

Application April 8, 1950, Serial No. 154,849

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to rotary turbine and compressor apparatus. More specifically, it has to do with new and improved rotary turbine and compressor apparatus having forward leading vanes on an impeller wheel in which novel and highly effective means is provided for convertin a fluid velocity head to a fluid pressure head. I

Efforts have been made previously to utilize forward leading vanes in turbine and compressor apparatus. Usually, vaned passages and an involute casing were employed to convert the velocity head of the fluid to pressure head. But the fluid velocities developed at the forwardleading vane outlets were found to be so high that, with a casing of ordinary size, considerable energy Was lost as heat of turbulence and friction, and a relatively large casing had to be used to insure gradual expansion of the fluid. ,As a result, such apparatus has not been satisfactory and the trend has been to use either radial or backward leading vanes, for which lower fluid velocities obtain.

It is an object of the invention, accordingly, to provide, in turbine and compressor apparatus having forward leading vanes, new and improved meansfor converting a fluid velocity headto, a fluid pressure head. i I

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved turbine and compressor apparatusfof the above character which iscapable of producing greater pressure per stage than prior devices, whereby both the size and the cost of the equipment may be reduced.

According to the invention, turbine and compressor apparatus is provided which includes a rotor carrying a plurality of forward leading passages mounted in a casing. Preferably, the passages converge outwardly from'the axis to elbow portions of restricted cross section and then diverge to forward leading outlets at the periphery of the rotor. The direction of flow of the fluid discharge tangentially from the outlets is changed by the casing so that it includes a radially inward component and a peripheral component in the direction of rotation. In the radially inward path of the fluid are disposed a. plurality of curved impact type vanes which are so shaped as to reverse the peripheral component of the fluid motion without substantially modifying the inwardly radial component.

,mounted on the rotor.

According to a preferred embodiment, at least two impact stages comprising cooperating impact type vanes on both' the rotor and the casing are provided.

The invention may be better understood from the following detailed description of several representative embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying draWings in which:

Fig. 1 isa view in elevation, partly in vertical section, of turbine and compressor apparatus constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section, of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detailed view illustrating the inlet side ofthe impeller wheel of the apparatus of Fig.1;

' Fig. 4 is a view, in vertical section, of multistage pump and compressor apparatus designed in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 5 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4 with part of the casing broken away to show the vanes on the'impeller wheel.

In the preferred form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-3, inclusive, the turbine and compressor apparatus comprises a hollow casing l0 formed by cooperating casing portions Illa and l 0b rigidly, secured to one another. The casing portion I (la has an inlet l2 and a base portion lla,while the portion 10b has an outlet l3 and a base portion Hb. Journalled in suitable bearings l4 and I 5 in the housing ill is a shaft IS on which is mounted an impeller wheel ll. The impeller Wheel I1 is designed to run within a chamber 18 of similar shape in the housing In which 'communicates with the input l2 through an eye l9 and with the outlet 13 through a discharge port 20. The chamber 18 is preferably formed with a of flow to be effected with reduced turbulence and of the impeller wheel l1 which faces the eye [9' has formed thereon a plurality of radially extending passages 22 each of which converges somewhat radially to an elbow portion 23 adjacent the periphery of the impeller wheel I! and then diverges to form a forward leading outlet 24 from which the compressed fluid is discharged.

Mounted on the side of the impeller wheel I1 facing the discharge port is a substantially peripheral array of impact type vanes which are so shaped as to reverse the peripheral or tangential motion of the compressed fluid without substantially modifying the radial motion thereof. The discharge side of the impeller wheel I! also preferably carries a second circular array of impact type vanes 25, which serve the same purpose as the vanes 25, and to which the compressed fluid is directed by means of a plurality of appropriately shaped stationary vanes 21 secured to the inner wall of the housing ID. The vanes 25, 26 and 21 are preferably'shaped so as to form a restricted throat portion between each pair of adjacent vanes, thereby enabling the direction of flow to be changed with minimum turbulence and air friction.

In operation, as a compressor, the rotor I] is driven in any suitable manner at a relatively high speed such as say 20,000 R. P. M. for example. Air or other fluid enters the inlet l2 and passes through the eye 19 to the radial passages 22. As the air moves out radially, its velocity remains substantially constant because of the reduced throat section 23. It expands gradually in the discharge outlets 24 and some of its velocity head is converted into pressure head. It will be noted that the hollow throats 23 tend to minimize cavitation in changing the direction of the compressed air from radial in the passages 22 to forward leading in the discharge outlets 24.

The air, which is now leavingthe periphery of the impeller wheel I! with a velocity greater than that of the periphery itself, is directed against the concavely curved inner wall portion 28 of the housing I0 and through the restricted throat portion 23a. As a result, its direction of flow is substantially reversed so that it has a radially inward component and a peripheral component in the direction of rotation. Because of the restricted throat portion 28a, this reversal is accomplished with minimum turbulence and air friction. The energy content in the air moving in the reverse direction, neglecting friction, will be the ,same as before but the velocity will be less so that the pressure will be greater. The air then meets the impact type vanes 25 which reverse the peripheral or tangential motion but leave the radial motion substantially intact. The peripheral component of the velocity of the air is again reversed by the stationary vanes 21 which direct it to the second array of impact type vanes 26. The latter again reverse the peripheral motion without substantially changing the radial motion. As stated above, the restricted throat portions between adjacent vanes in each of the arrays enable these changes in the direction of flow to be effected with minimum turbulence and friction.

It will be noted that the direction of flow of the air from the second array of impact type vanes 25 is more nearly radial so that the peripheral velocity of the air is substantially reduced again and the pressure is again raised. Eventually, the compressed air enters the discharge outlet 20 and passes through the radial vanes to the outlet [3.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate multi-stage turbine and "compressor apparatus utilizing only a single impact stage on each impeller wheel according to the invention. In this embodiment, the housing 29 comprises upper and lower housing portions 29a and 29b rigidly secured together. The housing 29 is provided with a plurality of axially spaced apart chambers, only two ISA, 18E being shown in Fig. 4, within which impeller wheels HA and HE, respectively, on a shaft [6 are adapted to be rotated. The chamber I8A is provided with an eye l9 which communicates with an inlet 12 and it is also provided with a discharge outlet 30A which directs the air compressed in the first stage to the eye of the next succeeding stage. The impeller wheels HA, HE are formed essentially in the same manner as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, except that only one set of impact type vanes 25 is provided. Also, the stationary vanes 21 shown in Fig. 2 are eliminated.

The chamber IBE in the final stage has a discharge port 30E which communicates with an outlet l3. Since considerable heat will be developed in operation, suitable heat dissipating means such as a water jacket 4| should be provided, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The cooling water, may enter through a lower port 31 and leave through an upper port (not shown) Also, since the pressure in each succeeding stage will be greater than that in the preceding stage, the wall thickness of each succeeding stage may be increased, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The manner of operation of either of the two embodiments disclosed herein as a turbine will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the invention provides novel and highly effective turbine and compressor apparatus havingforward leading vanes on the rotor. By utilizing one or more groups of impact vanes on the back of the rotor, the relatively high velocity head produced in such apparatus may be converted into pressure head more effectively than has been possible heretofore. As a result, more pressure per stage can be produced, resulting in substantial reductions both in size and cost for the equipment.

The specific embodiments disclosed herein are intended to be merely illustrative and are capable of modification within the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, instead of providing a water jacket for dissipating heat developed in operation, the apparatus might be cooled by an open water bath of the type customarily employed for cooling farm type internal combustion engines, for example. Alternatively, a. closed water jacket may be employed and it may serve as a steam generator, if desired. The specific forms of the invention described and illustrated herein, therefore, are not to be regarded as imposing any restrictions whatsoever on the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. In turbine and compressor apparatus, the combination of a stator having a chamber therein communicating with an inlet eye and a discharge port, an impeller wheel mounted for rotation in said chamber and having forward leading vanes on one side thereof each extending from a position near the axis of rotation to a position near the periphery of said wheel, said stator having a continuous inner wall of substantially concave cross-section encompassing the periphery of said impeller wheel for imparting to fluid discharged from said forward leading vanes a radially inward component of movement and a peripheral component in the directionof rotation, a peripheral array of impact type vanes mounted on the other side of said impeller'wheel, aseconjd array of impact type vanes mounted on said other side of the impeller wheel intermediate the periphery and the axis thereof, the vanes in both said arrays being so shaped as to impart a radially inward component to thefiuid from said forward leading vanes, and a plurality of stationary impact typevanesfinterposed between said first and second arrays-{said stationary vahes being suitably shaped to-direct fiuidfrom vanes in'one array to vanes in the other array -while imparting an inwardly radial component to the motion of said fluid.

2. In turbine and compressor apparatus, the combination of a stator having a chamber therein communicating with an inlet eye and a discharge port, an impeller wheel mounted for rotation in said chamber, means forming a plurality of radially extending passages on one side of said impeller wheel, each converging from a position near the axis of rotation to a restricted throat portion and then diverging to form a forward leading discharge outlet substantially at the periphery of said impeller wheel, the portion of the interior wall of said stator facing the periphery of said impeller wheel being circularly continuous and being suitably shaped so as to give fluid discharged from said forward leading outlets a radially inward component of movement and a peripheral component in the direction of rotation, and a peripheral array of impact type vanes on the other side of said impeller wheel, said impact type vanes being so shaped as to change the direction of said peripheral component of movement substantially without modifying said radially inward component,

3. In turbine and compressor apparatus, the combination of a stator having a chamber therein communicating with an inlet eye and a discharge port, an impeller wheel mounted for rotation in said chamber, means forming a plurality of radially extending passages on one side of said impeller wheel, each converging from a position near the axis of rotation to a restricted throat portion and then diverging to form a forward leading discharge outlet substantially at the periphery of said impeller wheel, the portion of the interior wall of said stator facing the periphery of said impeller wheel being circularly continuous and being suitably shaped so as to give fluid discharged from said forward leading outlets a radially inward component of movement and a peripheral component in the direction of rotation, a first peripheral array of impact type vanes mounted on the other side of said impeller wheel, a second array of impact type vanes monuted on said other side of the impeller wheel at positions intermediate of the axis of rotation and said first array, the vanes in both said arrays being so shaped as to change the direction of said peripheral component of movement substantially without modifying said radially inward compo nent, an array of stationary impact type vanes interposed between said first and second arrays for directing fluid from the vanes in one array to the vanes in the other, and a plurality of radial vanes mounted in said discharge port.

4. In turbine and compressor apparatus, the combination of a stator having a chamber therein communicating with an inlet eye and a discharge port, an impeller wheel mounted for rotation in said chamber, means forming a plurality of radially extending passages on one side of. said near thejaxis of rotation to a restr ct d' 'throat portionand'then diverging to form a forward leading discharge outlet substantially "at the periphery of said impeller wheel,jthe portion of the interior wall of said stator facing the periphery of said impeller wheel being circularly continuous and being suitably shapedso asto give fluid discharged from said-forward leading outlets a radially inward component ofmo'vement and'a peripheral component inthe direction of rotation, and said stator interior wall portion cooperating with thefadjacent portion'of the impellerjwheel to form a restricted throat portion, whereby the direction of ilow of fluid from said forward leading outlets may be changed with minimum turbulence and friction.

5. In turbine and compressor apparatus, the combination of a stator having a chamber therein communicating with an inlet eye and a discharge port, an impeller wheel mounted for rotation in said chamber, means forming a plurality of radially extending passages on one side of said impeller wheel, each converging from a position near the axis of rotation to a restricted throat portion and then diverging to form a forward leading discharge outlet substantially at the periphery of said impeller wheel, the portion of the interior wall of said stator facing the periphery of said impeller wheel being circularly continuous and being suitably shaped so as to give fluid discharged from said forward leading outlets a radially inward component of movement and a peripheral component in the direction of rotation, and said stator interior wall portion cooperating with the adjacent portion of the impeller wheel to form a restricted throat portion, and a peripheral array of impact type vanes on the other side of said impeller wheel, said impact type vanes being shaped so as to change the direction of said peripheral component of movement substantially without modifying said radially inward component, each pair of adjacent vanes cooperating to form a restricted throat portion. 7

6. In turbine and compressor apparatus, the combination of a stator having a chamber therein communicating with an inlet eye and a discharge port, an impeller wheel mounted for rotation in said chamber, means forming a plurality oi. radially extending passages on one side of said impeller wheel, each converging from a position near the axis of rotation to a restricted throat portion and then diverging to form a forward leading discharge outlet substantially at the periphery of said impeller wheel, the portion 01' the interior wall of said statorfacing the periphery of said impeller wheel being circularly continuous and being suitably shaped so as to give fluid discharged from said forward leading outlets a radially inward component of movement and a peripheral component in the direction of rotation, and said stator interior wall portion cooperating with the adjacent portion of the impeller wheel to form a restricted throat portion, a first peripheral array of impact type vanes mounted on the other side of said impeller wheel, a second array of impacttype vanes mounted on said other side of the impeller wheel at positions intermediate of the axis of rotation and said first array, the vanes in both said arrays being so shaped as to change the direction of said peripheral component of movement substantially without modifying said radially inward component, an array of stationary impact type vanes interposed between said first and second arrays for directing fluid 7 from the vanes in one array to the vanes in the other, and a plurality of radial vanes mounted in said dischargeport, each pair of adjacent vanes in each array cooperating to form a restricted throat portion.

WILLIAMSPENCER BOWEN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Ruble Dec. 13, 1892 Number Number 10 Number 8 Name Date Cole Sept. 3, 1912 Norman Mar. 4, 1924 Klemm Jan. 1, 1929 Heinze Jan. 21, 1936 Jonn June 15, 1937 Calranis Dec. 6, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1878 Great Britain 1885 Germany Feb. '7, 1939 

